but my body was loose and i was set alight
by gidget89
Summary: "Is she going to be your wife one day?" Amy was asking archly and River could hear the Doctor's sigh.    "Yes."


_**but my body was loose and I was set alight**_

"You cannot be serious." As soon as the TARDIS doors shut behind all three of them he was stepping in front of her, his hair all askew and a glower on his face.

"And who was I supposed to call if not _you_, Doctor?" She arched a brow at him and crossed her arms in front of her.

"This isn't just a _lark_ or a picnic, River. Weeping Angels are terrible, _dangerous_ creatures and you put _Amy_ in danger by calling me here!" He flung his arms out and glared at her and she sighed and rolled her eyes.

"I've already programmed the TARDIS with a genetic trace-"

"You can't do that." He interrupted, flying up the stairs and grabbing the monitor to peer at it. "You can't – _that's not possible_." He stared at the screen incredulously and River lifted her skirt to climb the stairs as well.

"Not impossible, just _nearly_ so." She spoke with a smug grin. "It only activates if we're removed from this time frame, though. And there is an entire human colony on this planet, Doctor. Do they not deserve saving because your companion might get hurt?" The grin has dropped from her face now and she stared at him, so _young_, the expression he watched her with _hurt_. And she knew she'd never let anything happen to her mother, but _he_ didn't know that yet. She'd never let harm come to any of his friends, for the simple fact that they were _his_ friends.

"That's not what I said-"

"Well it certainly sounds it. Stay or go, Doctor." She picked her dress up once more ascending to the upper balcony where she glanced back at him. "I'm going to change, and then I'll be out of your hair."

"It's _dangerous_ River," he started and she shook her head.

"Isn't everything dangerous around you?" She spoke sharply and instantly felt _terrible_ as his face fell and he looked away from her. She couldn't seem to bring herself to apologize though, simply walking into the hall and pausing, pressing her back against the wall and trying to breathe. She'd not meant to say that – as if he needed reminding. But he looked at her with distrust and she'd heard him earlier, when she'd exited the TARDIS, telling Amy that '_that woman_' wasn't dragging him into anything.

That woman.

She was very nearly a stranger to him now, and she wasn't ready. Oh she'd thought she'd been, but pressure built around her hearts and her eyes stung with tears. She dragged a hand over her face, becoming aware that they were still talking in the console room behind her.

"Aren't you all Mr. Grumpy Face today." Amy was teasing the Doctor, and River paused, smiling at her ever constant demeanour. She'd known Amy forever, but she'd never ever changed. Always bristling with indignation and spunk, and never at a loss for a comeback or quip, much to Rory's dismay. And Rory – he wasn't even _with_ them.

She'd known her mother travelled with the Doctor without her father of course, but it felt... incomplete without him there. She wiped at the tears in her eyes and tuned back in to hear the end of whatever the Doctor was saying, "That's my day. That's what I'm up to. Any questions?" He sounded irritated and tetchy, and anyone else would probably back away, but her mother was never just _anyone_.

"Is River Song your wife?" River choked at her question, slapping her hands over her mouth.

"Oh god, _mother_." She whispered to herself, giggling and the TARDIS hummed at her back.

"Cause she's someone from your future – and the way she talks to you, I've never seen _anyone_ do that. It's all like _'heel boy'_. She's Mrs. Doctor from the future isn't she?" Amy pestered the Doctor teasingly and River shook her head, amazed at how astute her mother was.

"Is she going to be your _wife _one day?" Amy was asking archly and River could hear the Doctor's sigh.

"Yes." River's face dropped in shock and she scrambled to peek around the doorframe to watch them. He was leaning with his palms against the console, and Amy was staring at him, pale and shocked.

"Yes?" Amy repeated, two bright spots of red appearing on her cheeks as she stared at him, mouth open.

"Maybe. I don't – I don't know. But I think – I think _yes_." He sighed and glanced at Amy who fidgeted awkwardly next to him.

"How can you – isn't that... wouldn't that be _terrible_? Meeting in the wrong order?" Amy asked in a low voice and River's heart jumped into her throat as she strained to listen.

"I get mad sometimes. It feels... inevitable, even though I know it's not really. Time can be changed, rewritten at any point, Amelia. Sometimes I feel like I have no choice." He scratched at his neck nervously and River bit her lip as tears filled her eyes. "And other times I feel terrified. What if – she clearly feels – and knows things – what if I do the wrong thing? What if I don't mean to but I unravel her entire history? I run for a reason, you know, Pond."

"So you're like... from her point of view then, you're just _forgetting_ her? And the same will happen for you one day?" Amy frowned and crossed her arms, leaning against the console. "That's _horrible_."

"I don't know, I suppose so, yes." He ran a hand through his hair, his shoulders slumping and River closed her eyes, her whole body yearning to go down there, wrap herself around him and reassure him. That whatever choice he made, she would accept it. She had no room in her hearts for him for anything other than love. Even if the choice he made was to _not_ love her, she'd never hate him for it. She'd just... never know him. Or maybe never exist. Be a geography teacher in Leadworth.

"You should go talk to her." Amy insisted, standing up and glaring at him.

"I should _what_?" He spluttered and Amy punched his shoulder harshly. "Ow! What was _that_ for?"

"You were very mean to her, especially considering you know that she's your future wife."

"_Think_-"

"Oh _whatever_." Amy glared. "And she was really nice to me, and I don't think she'd ever have deliberately put me in danger. Besides she wrote on that box thingy like ten thousand years ago when we saw it-"

"Twelve thousand, and what's your point?"

"Well how would she know what you got the message? _Honestly_, you are so thick sometimes, Doctor."

"I don't –"

"Yeah, no you don't – so you should go talk to her." Amy shoved him none-too-gently from the console and River flew back from the door, scurrying down the hall to her room. She slid to a halt, tossing her shoes on their bed, before moving over to the wardrobe and yanking it open, pushing past tweed coats and several colour variations of his current shirt – until she reached her adventuring section. She'd been given a clerics uniform that she'd tossed in here last time she'd been on board.

"Ah there you are. Bloody horrid things." She muttered to herself, backing out of the wardrobe with her uniform in hand. And even though she'd known he was coming, she still jumped in shock to see him leaning against the armoire, his expression incredulous.

"What are you doing?" He asked, looking at her in shock.

"Changing, I told you." She muttered shortly, knowing why he was shocked and not wanting to deal with it.

"Why are you _in here_?" He stressed and she sighed, flinging the uniform on top of her red heels and whirling to glare at him.

"You're not stupid, and despite how you look you're old enough to hazard a few guesses, sweetie – don't play coy with me, it's not attractive at all." She felt irrationally irritated, which was her _own_ fault of course. Eavesdroppers never heard anything good of themselves. She sighed, turning away from his shocked expression and pulled a hand through her hair. "I'm sorry; I didn't mean to snap at you." She apologized softly, her eyes still on the cleric uniform on the bed.

She didn't want to put it on.

She remembered – she swallowed as she thought back to her graduation day. Stoic soldiers carrying that _suit_ and god, she hated the clerics. She was never sure if they'd been aware of their actions, but that day had been one of the most terrifying experiences of her life, so she wasn't inclined to give them much leeway regardless. She was imprisoned by them for a murder she hadn't committed, and that they had, in fact, _helped_ her commit. And now she was forced to carry out these _'missions_' to earn time for a pardon and the hypocrisy of it all almost choked her sometimes.

His hand slid down her back, his palm cool, even through the chiffon of her dress. She swallowed, her heart rates increasing at his touch. "No, I'm sorry too. I was being ridiculous before. I know you had no way of knowing which me you'd get."

"It doesn't _matter_ which you I get Doctor, you're always _you_." She turned and his hand slid along her ribs and down to rest at her waist. She felt a small thrill because he hadn't removed it as she'd turned.

"I don't always have the same face, how do you know it's me?" He asked her seriously and her breath caught. Oh he was a stupid boy – the fact that he'd asked meant he'd not seen her with this face yet.

"I've got pictures of all your faces." She couldn't help herself; she lifted her hands to brush against his face gently, reverently. "You never show up in the right order though. You've regenerated recently, then? Is this the first time for you, with this face?"

He swallowed, his eyes widening as he realized the implications of what he'd asked. "Spoilers?"

"I know it doesn't matter of course, you're always _you_ under there... but _this _face-" She bit back her words, dropping her hands and biting at her bottom lip. She glanced down at the floor and swallowed, willing the tears away.

"Ha, see, I knew it! Pond told me I was '_strange'_ but I knew it. I'm hot. You like it." She looked up to catch him tugging at his tweed with a smug grin. "It's the bowtie, right?"

She laughed, a smile breaking out as she reached up to stroke his tie softly. "It does take a certain sort of man to wear a bowtie, sweetie."

He preened and she smiled, her fingers still curled around the tie as he looked down at her. "_All_ of my faces?"

"Mmmhmm. All the way back to the first. Such a young old man, and now you're an old young man. It's funny." She observed and he blinked in surprise.

"River," he licked his lips and moved in a bit closer to her, his hands stroking her sides gently, almost as if for want of something to keep them occupied.

"Mmmm?" She hummed, looking up at him with a soft smile. It wasn't his fault really – none of this was. And she remembered – she remembered well how he'd never looked at her with anything but patience and love when she was the younger of them. She had to at least give him the same in return. He opened his mouth to speak but she stood straighter, pressing a finger against his mouth in a shushing motion. "Doctor, I need to – to apologize." She dropped her hand as she spoke and he frowned down at her.

"What for?"

Her hands gripped the lapels of his tweed coat tightly and she swallowed, avoiding his gaze. "I shouldn't be... I shouldn't let this get to me. None of this is your fault, and I'm- I'm sorry if I'm not being as good as I can be about it."

One of his hands lifted, hid fingers sliding under her chin so he could tilt her head up to meet her eyes. His expression was solemn and he shook his head. "I forget sometimes, River. All of this is just being... thrust upon me and I forget that at the same time, it's being taken _away_ from you and I'm sorry. I'm making it harder for you, I know." She felt tears prick at her eyes as he spoke and she closed them tightly.

"You're not obligated. I want – I want you to _know _that." She swallowed and opened her eyes to meet his gaze. "Time can be rewritten." She smiled sadly and he looked down at her with an unreadable expression. "We both understand that, and I won't – if you change it all, it's okay. I forgive you."

"River..." he breathed her name out and she shook her head, "don't forgive me, I don't deserve it." His voice was broken and she could read the pain and _guilt_ all over his face.

"Always and completely, Doctor, no matter _what_." Her hands gripped his tweed harder and she could feel the button biting into her left palm. She couldn't hold the tears back any longer, and her eyes closed once again, shutting out the look of awe on his face and closing in the pain she felt upon pronouncing those words. _No, no, don't change a single thing_, she wanted to scream instead, but she could not, would not. She felt his hands brush against her face for a moment and then she felt his mouth against hers and she gasped.

What was he-

His hands pushed into her hair, fingers tangling in tamed curls as she kissed him back – it was an automatic response by now, her mouth opening under his with a soft moan. Her hands loosened their grip to slide up over his shoulders. She held on to him there, but didn't pull him in closer the way her body longed to – she didn't want to scare him, this kiss felt like enough of a miracle. His tongue brushed against her lower lip gently, hesitantly and she opened her mouth inviting him further in. She held herself in check, even though her hearts were pounding and she longed to simply hold him close and _devour_ him. There was no mistaking that this was his first kiss with her. And the fact that he'd newly regenerated was pounding through the back of her mind.

He was always the same man yes.

But this face was _hers_. Her husband, her Doctor – and though she'd seen faces after it, she held a certain amount of insane affection for _this_ him. The man she'd married. More than a few times. She clutched at his shoulders when his tongue brushed against hers cautiously. She hummed and his hands at her waist pulled her closer, until her body was flush against his and she could feel a tingling warmth stealing through her limbs.

Oh how she _loved_ him. The smell of him, the taste of him, the feel of him under her hands. She loved how he kissed her, intent and focussed. She loved the feel of his palms sliding up her back to press her impossibly closer. She loved the curl of his tongue around hers and her hands slid into his hair, nails lightly scratching his scalp as her fingers wove through the silken tresses. She moaned again and he growled, breaking away to press his forehead against hers, his breath on her face, hot and heavy.

She opened her eyes slowly to see him staring down at her, his eyes shadowed with shock, but also hot and golden and _oh_ she recognized those eyes. "I'm not sorry." He breathed the words out and she smiled in response, her fingers still brushing through his ridiculous hair softly.

"Why would you be?" She managed to ask and he smiled.

"Well, it was a bit forward of me." He confessed, and as he spoke his mouth brushed against the skin of her cheek.

"Only if it was unwelcome." She pointed out softly, her hands cradling his head as she gave in to her hearts and nudged her face against his gently, her nose brushing his. "And you're _never _unwelcome, sweetie."

He nuzzled his nose along hers, pressing a soft kiss to the tip. "Never? I've – River I've done things, things you can't possibly know. Or you wouldn't say that."

"I know your hearts." Her hands slid down to press over his chest as she met his gaze, "Every bit of light and shadow, Doctor."

His hands swept up and down her back languidly, his movements sweeping further and further until he was pressing his palms against the flat of her back, his fingers brushing against her arse and she pressed her hips forward with a slight moan.

"Doctor," she breathed his name out and he shook his head, his face so close to hers that his hair brushed against the skin of her cheek. He slid his mouth against her cheek, sliding his lips to her ear.

"You know my name, River, please – I've not heard it in so long – when we're alone, _please_ use it." She felt his whisper stir the hair by her ear and she shivered in his arms, before whispering his name out loud, like a secret between them. His mouth covered hers once more as she finished uttering it, swallowing the last syllables with a groan.

Her hands slid under his jacket, her fingers smoothing against his chest as he kissed her, where she could feel the thumping of both his hearts under her hands. His hands pressed her closer, pulling her against him until she could go no further as his tongue stroked against hers eagerly, this kiss far more passionate than the last. She felt her skin heat and flush as an aching unfulfilled need spread through her. She'd not expected this, but she wasn't going to tell him to stop either. He'd stop when he was good and ready, or when he got scared. His hands were fumbling at her back until he found the tiny zipper on her dress and he slid it down slowly, his fingers brushing the bare skin of her back as he did so.

His mouth broke from hers but he continued to press small kisses along her jaw, down along her throat. "I don't quite know what I'm doing." He confessed between kisses and she tilted her head back, feeling his hands slip between her back and her dress, his fingers caressing the skin there softly. "But I don't want to stop." He pulled back then, looking down at her with a heated gaze that was sharp with curiosity.

"You don't know me." She breathed out cautiously. She didn't want him to stop, but this was one of those moments wasn't it? If she let her selfish loneliness give in and let him do this, would it change everything?

"I don't care." He slid his hands up to her shoulders before tugging her dress forward until it fell away from her body. She lifted her hands from him to pull her hands from the sleeves delicately before shooting him a teasing grin. His expression was shocked, his eyes taking her in hungrily as she let the dress fall into a pool of black chiffon at her feet. She slipped her hands under his tweed and took advantage of his distraction to push the coat from his shoulders until it landed with a thump against the floor.

"Are you _sure_, sweetie?" she asked him gently, stepping out of the remains of her dress and closer to him until she could curl her fingers around his red braces, tugging him closer. He swallowed visibly, looking suddenly nervous and she released him instantly and stepped back, feeling a sudden absurd desire to cover herself. "I'm sorry –you should go, I don't want to scare you or-"

"You're _beautiful_." He breathed the words out in shock and she flushed, a sharp ache blooming in her chest between her hearts. He moved closer, his hands stroking along her skin. He brushed fingers against the sides of her bra, tugging experimentally at the strap as he studied her intently. "Why do you ever bother with clothes?"

She laughed slightly at that, reaching up and pushing a hand through his hair affectionately. "Well I wager you wouldn't want _everyone_ privvy to this view," she pointed out and he looked up, glancing around as if he expected someone to appear out of nowhere.

"Is anyone else- no, wait, that is a terrible question I've no right to ask, ignore me." He muttered as his hands stroked over her hips to tickle at the tops of her thighs.

"You have every right, you just don't understand that yet, sweetie." She tweaked his bowtie affectionately and stepped in closer to him, trapping his hands between their bodies. His hands wiggled out from between them and he stroked the skin of her back once more, as if he couldn't stop touching her.

"I want to." He confessed quietly by her ear, his breath stirring the curls there. "Help me understand River. _Teach_ me." His hands slid up along her ribs, his thumbs brushing against the sides of her bra softly. "Teach me to love you."

She swallowed, pulling back from him a bit to stare up at him. She shook her head and frowned. "I can't teach you that, Doctor. It's something you'll learn on your own. Or you won't." She shrugged, the movement draw his gaze from her face to her shoulders and chest.

"I will." He reassured her and she bit her lip.

"You can't know that Doctor."

He pulled her closer, his hand stroking along her throat and shoulders while the other brushed against her face gently. His thumb dragged along her bottom lip, pulling it from her teeth as he smiled down at her. "Oh I think I can, River Song. Mysterious woman who knows everything about me, flirts like mad, flings herself from spaceships, speaks my language, flies my TARDIS and loves adventure as much as I do – I don't see how I'm supposed to resist all that, do you? You scare the hell out of me, River. I shouldn't like that. Kinda do a bit."

"But you don't know everything about me yet-" She pointed out and he cut her off with a chuckle.

"Exactly. Equal parts frustrating and alluring as hell. You know how I love a mystery River, and I cannot wait to solve _you_. I hope it takes me a long, long time." He lowered his mouth to hers once more and this time she clung to him, wrapping her arms around him and kissed him as aggressively as she normally would. Her tongue swept through his mouth, licking at his own, sweeping along the roof of his mouth before she opened her mouth wider, sucking on his tongue and scraping her teeth along his bottom lip. He moaned his hands smoothing down along her body to cup her breasts through her bra.

She hitched out a moan at that, pulling him closer and wrapping one leg around the backs of his own so she could grind against him in an attempt to ease the ache between her thighs. He made a strangled noise in the back of his throat and her arms unwound from his back to tug at his bowtie impatiently. She slid it from under his collar, draping it over her own neck before her hands made quick work of his buttons, yanking his shirt tails out of his trousers eagerly. She hummed into his mouth, her tongue stroking against his as her hands roamed his now bare chest, sliding along his skin under his shirt and slipping under braces with ease. She pressed her skin to his and felt his heart beats echoing hers, and she broke away with a gasp – wishing he could feel it too.

But not yet.

She pulled his braces down until they dangled around his hips and he reached for her, pulling her closer. His hand slid under her thigh, lifting it higher resulting in her pressed even more intimately against him, and they both groaned at that. His lips were on her throat, soft kisses and nips along her collar bones as his hips thrust upward, sending them off balance and toppling onto the bed behind her.

They landed with a terrific bounce, him on top of her and knocking the air out of her lungs. He scrambled up as soon as he could, spluttering apologies and running his hands over her to check for damage. Of course, an added bonus was that his hands were running all over _her_. She threw her head back and laughed brightly. "River, are you alright – I'm an idiot – I'm so sorry-"

She pulled him back down on top of her, wrapping her legs around his hips and the words died in his throat as she grinned up at him, wriggling beneath him. "Mmm, much better." She nodded and he grinned, lowering his head to kiss her enthusiastically.

She pushed his ridiculous shirt off of his shoulders and he lifted his hands from the bed one at a time to remove it fully before flinging it behind him. His mouth moved over her skin as he pressed kisses across her shoulders and down over her chest. He mouths at the tops of her breasts and she arched below him, reaching behind her back to unclasp her bra. He looked up at her as she slid it from her body, before looking down and licking his lips carefully. "Oh... _my_."

"Mmm I know." She arched a brow up at him smugly and he shot a glare at her before leaning between them and pressing a soft kiss to each rosy peak. She moaned at the barely there touch, and arched below him as he slid a hand over her breast, his fingers learning the shape of it reverently, moving over her skin is slow swirls, tracing his fingertip around and around the tip. "Doctor!"

"Patience River. I'll learn at my own pace, thank you very much." She bit back a laugh, and thought about reminding him of Amy, waiting for him, or the clerics, waiting outside – but she didn't _care_ about anything but this moment, right now. His eyes mapping her skin, while his hands learned every inch of her he could see. He lowered his head and drew one nipple into his mouth, licking at it experimentally, and she writhed below him, pressing her hips up against his in retaliation and sliding herself along his erection with a tight moan. "River!" He gasped against the skin of her breasts and she smirked down at him.

"You go at your own pace, and I'll go at mine, sweetie." He growled into her skin, turning his head and biting the side of her breast suddenly. She yelped and laughed, smacking his bare shoulder and he giggled against her skin, licking the spot he'd just bitten gently. She shivered below him, humming in approval.

He was moving lower now, hesitant kisses and strokes of his hands along her stomach now, his hands tickling over her ribs, fingertips walking along the bones as he counted out loud into her skin. He licked at her hipbones and she shifted restlessly on the bed, moaning and gripping the duvet since he was out of reach. Looking up at her for a moment, his eyes dark, his fingers hooked under the elastic of her knickers, and she held her breath as he dragged them down over her legs. His movements were slow and deliberate, his fingers skating along her thighs, knees, calves and feet.

He knelt by the side of the bed and looked up at her, his face a mixture of shocked, embarrassed and incredibly turned on. She smiled down the length of her body at him. And he grinned back, looking her over as if unsure where to start. His hands slid back up her legs slowly, "Those bloody shoes nearly killed me, River."

"Oh!" She sat up suddenly, reaching across the bed and digging under the clerics uniform. She glanced over her shoulder and saw he was quite impressed by the view, so if she put more wiggle into it than needed, no one could blame her. She turned back, holding the shoes with a grin. "You were saying, Doctor?" She ginned and handed him the heels, and he helped put them back on her. He stood by the side of the bed, looking down at her, and he reached forward, fumbling with something at her neck – oh his tie, she remembered. He was tying it. She sat up, pulling him down and kissing him fiercely.

His tongue swept the inside of her mouth and they both moaned as they fell back, his hands sweeping along the length and curve of her body. She arched into the touch and when his hand dipped between her thighs to tease at the wetness there, she broke away from his mouth with a gasp. "_Oh_," she clutched at his bare shoulders, rubbing herself against him as his fingers slipped through slick folds, flicking against the bundle of nerves there as she gasped, burying her face by his neck.

"You feel amazing," he was whispering into her hair and she pulled away from him and his maddening hands. "_River_," he whinged and she laughed softly, shaking her head.

"You are wearing far too much, my Doctor." Her hands reached for his waist, unbutton his trousers with ease. She leaned down; unlacing and removing his boots before she pulled his pants and trousers down in one go. She stopped to press a soft kiss to the tip of his erection and his hips bucked. His hands reached for her, pulling her up onto the bed next to him, and he kissed her once more, hands roaming as she moaned into his mouth.

"Next time, I am going to explore you so slowly it will drive you mad," he muttered against mouth and she laughed softly.

"Next time I'm going to let you." She wrapped one leg around his waist and felt his erection nudge insistently at her inner thigh. She moaned, shifting her hips to line their bodies up better.

"Excellent," he hissed as he pushed up and forward, slipping into her and filling and stretching her as she sighed with utter content. "You, me, right after I figure out this whole angel thing."

"It's a date. Now _move_ Doctor," she wrapped her legs higher, heels pressing into the back of his thighs and he shot a look over his shoulder as he began to move with a grin. His hips snapped into hers and she rolled beneath him, moaning in pleasure every time his forward thrusts ground against her clit.

"Oh River you feel," His voice was laboured by her ear and she turned her face to his, nuzzling against him gently, her hands reaching up and threading through his hair. He continued to move, faster and faster, his hips pushing her up higher and higher as the room began to wash out in bright lights. "River," he pressed his face into her neck, his hips jerking up and she knew from the tension in his frame that he was mid-orgasm already, bless, it had been a while for him, she thought.

She reached a hand between them and pressed her fingers viciously against her own clit, until she began to see stars herself, and when she blinked in the afterglow of her own self-induced orgasm she found him watching her intently. "I like seeing you like that – all out of control." He confessed softly, before pressing a soft kiss to her mouth as she relaxed her legs and unwound them from his body.

She kissed him back for a moment, allowing them to bask in the glow for just one moment, just one. She wrapped her arms around him and kept kissing him until she had to stop to breathe. "You'll stay and help me then? Because you don't have to, Doctor." She whispered and he chuckled against her skin.

"What am I gonna do? Run and leave you here with all of this?" He sighed, still lying on top of her.

"You could. I'm as clever as you are – I'd be fine." His eyes shot to hers and he watched her with intense curiosity.

"No one is as clever as I am River." He watched her carefully for a moment before snapping out of his somber mood with a sudden grin. "We have to get dressed. I don't like it. See, if you had of just let _me_ fly – we'd be off on some moon nowhere _near_ the Byzantium right now. No clerics. No angel."

"Still an Amy though," she pointed out with a soft laugh.

"Oh the TARDIS could keep her occupied for hours if we wanted." He stretched and rolled away from her and she blinked in surprise as she lifted her head.

"Hours? My aren't we eager to impress, sweetie." She teased gently and he pushed her away with a grin, moving to sit at the edge of the bed and reaching for his pants. She glared over at the Clerics uniform, kicking off the heels until they dropped to the floor and tugging his bowtie undone. "Just think of the thoughts you'll have now, fiddling with this ridiculous thing." She tossed it at his head and he caught it, looking at her thoughtfully.

"You don't like the Clerics, do you River?"

"No, I don't." She answered him simply and he stared at her, pulling his trousers on and watching as she pulled her knickers and bra back on before dragging the uniform over to her with a sigh.

"Can you tell me why not?"

"No, sweetie. I _really, really_ can't." She looked at him honestly, pulling the olive tank top over her head and yanking the pants on. "I've got a really good reason though. You just won't understand it for a long while yet."

He nodded, pulling his shirt on and buttoning up as she scraped her hair back with her fingers, securing it with an elastic. He pouted at that, tugging on her ponytail lightly. "I like it down."

"Precisely why it should be up, honey – we have work to do." She pointed out and he dropped his hand with a sigh, tugging his braces up and tying his bowtie with a grin.

"So you stay here, in _my_ room?" He asked as he tugged boots on and she did the same, sitting thigh to thigh with him on the edge of the bed.

"_Our_ room." She pointed out haughtily and he grinned.

"Do you sleep here often?" He fished and she laughed, shaking her head and pulling the Cleric uniform top on.

"Do _you_ sleep here often?" She turned the question on him and he shrugged.

"I don't sleep much, I'm sure you know that." He pointed out and she laughed, pausing to pick up his tweed and help him pull it on, adjusting the lapels and smoothing it across his chest. He reached for her then, pulling her to him and kissing her thoroughly. She broke away from him with a soft smile.

"Hmm, what a coincidence, I don't seem to get much _sleep_ in this room either. Ah well, plenty of better uses for a bed." She winked at him and he flushed, tugging at his coat sharply. "Be a good boy and I'll show you a few. " She promised, tweaking his bowtie and he giggled as they headed for the door, his hand wrapped around hers tightly.

"Just a _few_?"


End file.
